The Forgotten Children
by Irene Moriarty
Summary: The Doctor and Donna find that children are disappearing from an Orphanage and nobody remembers anything. The rooms are cold and one orphan, Valerie, finds the Doctor. Now, they must try and make everyone remember, and save them from something invisible.
1. Remember Me

**I got the idea in a dream and tweaked it a little to make it Doctor Who and awesome! Well, I hope it's awesome. Awesome is a stupid word. So is Marshmallow. Who invented those anyways?**

**But please enjoy and pleeeeease review. I really want to continue and I'd like people to read it. And enjoy it. I have 4 chapters written all ready and will publish it if you review.**

**Preface**

My name was Valerie Samantha Wilkins. I was 14 years old, 15 by August. One day, when I was in Kimberline Orphanage, I met the Doctor and Donna.

That was the day everyone forgot Valerie Samantha Wilkins.

Well, almost everyone.

**Chapter 1**

**Remember Me**

"Valerie! Hurry up!" Valerie's roommate shouted, punching the bathroom door with the side of her fist. "We're going to bed. No need to look pretty."

"Just give me a minute!" Valerie shouted, tying up her hair behind a mirror.

"I've given ya loads!"

"Fine, fine" Valerie said, calmly coming out of the bathroom as if nothing was wrong. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Susan"

"Ha ha" Susan said sarcastically. "Happy with that, now are ya?" Susan said in her thick Scottish accent, motioning towards Valerie's hair.

"Quite" Valerie responded, flicking her light brown hair.

Susan glared at her best friend before stalking into the bathroom and slamming the door.

"Oi! You'll wake up the boys!" Valerie said, just a teensy bit louder than usual.

"Oh, you're doing that all on your own, Val. You just want Brandon to rush in here and confess his deep, undying love for ya —"

"Oi!"

Susan giggled as Valerie sat down on her bed on the left side of the room, not the right because _that_ was "Susan's Side". And whoever dares enter "Susan's Side" may never live to tell the tale. Valerie grabbed the portable, battery powered lamp and put it on the window sill just beside her bed. She flipped it on and smiled. The dark wasn't all that great for her, the opposite of great to be exact. Valerie lay down on her side and looked at "Susan's Side". Susan was always too big for her shoes. Talking when not talked to. Talking back when talked to by people older than her. But Susan was smart; smarter than your average girl. Susan, of course, dismissed all thoughts of her being "nerdy" and "smart".

Valerie smiled at her best friend's stubbornness, looking at the stacks of books Susan had under, next to, and sometimes in, her bed. And Susan said she wasn't smart... Yeah right. Valerie always thought that Susan was smarter than her. But of course Valerie didn't think much of herself at all. She never thought she was the prettiest, or the smartest. But Valerie was kind and good and sweet. Values nobody took for granted.

It was 10 minutes later Susan was still in the bathroom and Valerie was fast asleep. Dreaming about being the most beautiful and popular girl in the orphanage. Then maybe, just maybe, she could be adopted. A silent tear rolled down Valerie's cheek whilst she slept. Dreaming suddenly about the only memory she had of her mother.

It felt like only five minutes for Valerie as she slept but the entire night had passed when she was woken up. Eurica, the pretty, young, Irish red head who was a new worker at the orphanage, had put out Valerie's night lamp and woken Valerie up by threatening her with a bucket of water.

"Why is it so cold?" Valerie said, half asleep.

Eurica answered: "Your window is open, Valerie. How many times do I have to tell you to close it...?" She said, closing the window.

"But it's June..." Valerie said, sitting up.

Eurica tidied up as Valerie rubbed out her eyes. Valerie looked at the bed next to her, not noticing any change. Valerie got up and, being half asleep, sat down on the other bed. She coughed as she inhaled dust.

"Eurica? Why don't you clean up this bed?" Valerie said, trying not to yawn.

"Well, nobody uses it now do they?" Eurica said, her head under Valerie's bed, throwing clothes into a hamper.

"Yeah" Valerie said, stretching. "Guess not." She looked around at the bed. No books. No pillows. No nothing. Just a mattress and dust.

Eurica emerged from under the bed. "Now, get down stairs. Matron's making us all some yummy yummy porridge" Eurica said, towering over Valerie. Eurica was _really _tall. She had legs, I'd give you that.

"And by porridge you mean —"

"Un-edible goop" Eurica smiled. "Now get dressed" Eurica said with a smile as she closed the door behind her.

Valerie yawned again and stretched her arms and legs towards the ceiling, lying on the un-occupied bed. She got up and got dressed. Nothing was wrong. Except, behind where Valerie had just sat, the bed was disturbed, the dust lifted and the bed had a slight imprint on it, like someone had just sat there. A small child. Crossed legged where nobody appeared to be sitting.

Valerie went down to the Eating Hall, wishing she had a best friend.

* * *

**CAUTION: Long Authors Note.**

**(If you liked this then please go read my other Doctor Who stories. I have one where Donna has to go to the Dentist... Oh you know you wanna read it... I also have Twilight stories.)**

**Names I've used:**

**Valerie: (The main girl in the story) She's my best friend and I felt the character fitted her. And I didn't want to think too much about names. She really is sweet, kind and loving and I value that. I love ya girl!**

**Eurica: (Red headed, tall, Irish woman in story) That's my mum. Love ya too. I promise! :) She's not really Irish but we come from Irish decent. So it counts. I think. She is tall. I promise. The red hair? Ha, she wishes.**

**Samantha: (Valerie's, in story, middle name) My former best friend. We're still friends and I love her.**

**Kimberline Orphanage: "Kimberline" comes from the town I want to live in, Kimberley.**

**Susan: (My second name is Suzanne and that is Valerie's former roommate and best friend in story) Um, thanks to me? Huh? How does this work?**

**My name is Rose, so I couldn't really use that now could I? Aw, well... **

**Please review! I won't make you... but I just might... you never know... I have mood swings... NOW REVIEW!**

**Now.**

**Yes. Now.**

**That little button there.**

**No, not there...**

**There. That's it.**

**~Rose**


	2. Looking For Trouble

**I love Donna. Don't we all? So I probably went on and on and on with the Doctor/Donna babble so I hope you enjoy it. :-) I wanted to use Rose, cause I love Rose and that's my name. :-) But Donna comes naturally to me cause I'm more like Donna.**

**I hope this chappy doesn't disappoint. Tell me if it does or doesn't. So review please... And now. Enjoy**

**Chapter 2**

**Looking For Trouble**

"Doctor?" Donna asked. "What are you doing?"

The Doctor pushed himself out from under the Tardis. He was lying on a skateboard with a spanner in his right hand and a very innocent expression plastered on his face. "Um, fixing the Tardis?"

"By putting it on loads of bricks and hitting it with a spanner?"

"Yeah, just about"

Donna laughed. She sat down next to him and he went back under the Tardis with a grin.

"So what are you fixing - I mean brutally hitting?" Donna asked, mockingly.

"The stability..." The Doctor said quietly.

Donna scoffed. "I'm sorry, the what?"

"The stability..." He said a little bit louder.

"Oh, "the stability"?" Donna asked sceptically.

"Are you mocking me?"

"You're fixing the "stability"?"

"I hate that word now"

"Let me get this right. You've only _now _decided to do something about us falling around and getting bruises in the Tardis, whilst you are very recklessly crashing —"

"It's not crashing, it's —"

"Doctor. It is crashing."

"Oh all right..." The Doctor said, getting out from under the Tardis and standing up. "Now, can we get on with our lives?"

"All righty then, Doc" Donna said, standing up and locking in arms with the Doctor.

"Doc?" The Doctor questioned his new nickname.

"Yes. Doc."

"Well, okay" The Doctor said, grinning, before walking off with Donna into the unknown. No seriously. He doesn't know where he's going...

"This looks suspiciously like Earth..." Donna whispered.

"It is Earth" The Doctor grinned.

"Well, that explains that... But why land here to fix the Tardis?"

The Doctor shrugged. "I pressed redial."

"And you thought coming here again after you almost assassinated a President was a good idea?"

"_Accidently _**almost**assassinated a President"

Donna rolled her eyes. "So where are we going, anyways?"

"I have no idea?"

"Why was that a question?"

"Cause I don't and I thought you would"

"Okay, okay. Let's go see where there's trouble and we'll start there?"

The Doctor grinned. "Oh, Donna Noble you are brilliant."

"Oh, that's just what I need... Brilliance"

"Don't you like being brilliant?"

"Nah, that means I don't have an excuse if I'm being totally thick"

"I take it back..."

"What, my brilliance?"

"Yes"

"Thanks"

"You're welcome. "

They walked further into town. Chatting away.

"So this is London, yeah?" Donna asked after joking about the Doctor's inappropriate touching of the Tardis.

"London. England. Earth. The Solar System. Somewhere near the Peak District. Early 21st century." The Doctor grinned.

"Why does this always happen in my London" Donna said, looking up at a building.

"What is it?"

Donna gulped. "There's a window. Just there, where the curtains are drawn back by someone, but nobody's there. And there's a hand print on the glass, but nobody's there" She said, slightly creeped out.

The Doctor put on his glasses and looked up. It was gone. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. Doctor I promise you. It was there"

"Trouble?"

"At an Orphanage" Donna said, reading the worn out sign reading: Kimberline Orphanage.

The Doctor smiled sadly and looked up again to see the same glass, broken into shreds.

Donna was the first to walk towards the front door, pressing the little button and waiting for a response. The door opened and the Doctor and Donna gave their best smiles.

"Well, hello" The Doctor said to a smiley, red head, who was hurrying along the big entrance room.

She smiled and walked forwards, her hand out stretched for a handshake. "Hello, I'm Eurica. Nice to meet, you Mr..."

"Call me Doctor" he grinned. "This is Donna" Donna waved.

The Doctor looked at Eurica's name badge. "Um, that's a funny way to spell it"

"I guess" Eurica replied.

"Are you sure that's how you spell it?"

Donna elbowed the Doctor. "I think she knows how to spell her own name"

The Doctor massaged his ribs. "Well, her parents obviously didn't"

"Sorry to interrupt," Eurica said quietly "but why are you here?"

"Oh, um yes... let me just..." the Doctor reached into his inside pocket and got out the slightly psychic paper "Here." The Doctor said, holding it out for her to read.

Eurica smiled. "This is great! I can't wait to show you the candidates"

"Candidates?" The Doctor and Donna asked.

"For you to adopt" she said simply. Donna looked horrified. "Please just wait here, Dr Noble, Mrs Noble. And I'll be right back to take you to see them" She smiled and hurried off.

Donna glared at the Doctor. "You told her we wanted to _adopt_? She's gonna think were a couple"

"That's disgusting"

"Oi!"

"S'not my fault. That paper has a mind of its own!" The Doctor pleaded.

"We figure out what's going on and why I saw a ghosty thingy, and get out. Without a child. Agreed?"

"Yeah, we don't want to scar the poor child with having you for a mother" The Doctor joked.

"Oi!"

* * *

**So... horrible? Good? Okay? Slightly above fine? Anything, tell me. Please.**

**I just wrote this to get them to the Orphanage. The next chappy will probably be a lot longer.**

**Review. Review. And review.**

**Please!**

**~Rose**


	3. Let Me Get This Straight

**Hello! Here's nr 3! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3**

**Let Me Get This Straight**

Valerie sat, eating her un-edible goop when she saw them.

She strained her eyes to see what was going on in the next room. She really had to wear her glasses more often. Valerie saw a ginger woman, slapping a tall, skinny man in a suit, after shouting "Oi!" for the hundredth time. Eurica went to them and started showing them around. They came through the Eating Hall, passing past where Valerie sat on her own. The tall man, who was just a bit shorter than Eurica, winked at Valerie when they passed. Maybe he liked her? Valerie thought. Were they here to adopt?

The man and the woman followed Eurica through another door, leading to the girls dorms. Valerie bit her lip and silently stood up, and tried to follow the mysterious pair.

* * *

Eurica led the Doctor and Donna through the hallways and into the first room. She opened the door and Donna was the first to talk.

"Why is it so cold in here?"

"Oh it's nothing" Eurica replied. "Some of the rooms just are"

"Rooms with children in?" the Doctor asked.

"I don't know. Just... random rooms" Eurica shrugged.

Donna pointed to one bed. "Looks like this room is occupied"

The Doctor looked at the other bed. "With one child?"

"Yes. That would be Matt" Eurica answered quietly.

"Why doesn't Matt have a roommate?"

Eurica drifted off, looking into space. Her eyes were blank.

"Eurica?" Donna asked. No response. She tried again several times.

"Eurica!"

With that Eurica blinked.

"So if you would please follow me to the next room," Eurica said, smiling again. "then we can continue with the tour"

Donna looked at the Doctor worryingly and he looked at her sympathetically.

"I don't know..."

"Then let's find out" Donna said softly, following Eurica out of the room

The Doctor and Donna followed Eurica into multiple rooms, most were empty.

"How many kids are in this Orphanage?" The Doctor asked.

"About a hundred, hundred and fifty. More or less" Eurica answered.

The Doctor frowned. "But, this place could fit at least five hundred." He looked around. "And this place must have been here at least one hundred years..."

"Where is everyone?" Donna asked.

"Why are you asking all these question?" Eurica asked, frowning.

"I was born a curious person" The Doctor said.

"Well, stop it" Eurica said, sternly.

He smiled. "Used to working with children, aren't you?"

Eurica laughed. "Sorry, force of habit" She became serious again. "I really don't know, Doctor. But..." She hesitated.

The Doctor walked towards Eurica. "Eurica... Anything. Absolutely anything could be vital."

"Well... anything, right?"

"Anything"

"Like, the rooms being cold. That creeps me out. And the fact that there are only two kids left with roommates. The rest of the children are alone. Sad, for some reason."

The Doctor frowned.

"And I haven't been that busy lately. I've checked my diary—"

Donna chirped in. "You have a diary? I love people with diary's! I'm a temp, it's in my blood"

"You have a diary?" The Doctor turned to Donna.

"No, I have you"

"Okay" he turned to Eurica. "Sorry. Continue"

Eurica grinned at them. "Well, like I said, before I was so rudely interrupted..."

"Sorry" they both said.

"I've checked my diary, and all I've been complaining about for the couple months is how many children there are. And how much work I have. But one hundred? I have people to help me and one hundred is not so bad. Orphanages have been full these days. With all the sickness and young pregnancy so many children became orphans. And we only have one hundred? Why?"

The Doctor smiled. "I can help. I will figure out what's going one, and stop it."

"And I'll help" Donna said.

"Together, we can fix this I promise. Whatever it is, we will find it and stop it before anything else happens."

"But what is happening, Doctor?" Donna asked. "What is it?"

There was a pause and nobody spoke.

Eurica broke the silence: "Do you want to see the last room? It's Valerie Wilkins's room."

"Just Valerie's room?" The Doctor asked.

"Just her room, yes"

The Doctor was the first one out of the room and the first one into Valerie's room. The room was freezing.

"Donna. I can't think with all your teeth chattering"

"Well, sorry" Donna said, wrapping her arms around her.

Eurica came in, looking at the window and scowling. "I'm gonna have to report this" she sighed.

"Doctor..." Donna said "The windows broken"

"So is the light" The Doctor said, looking down at the broken lamp.

Eurica sighed. "You can stay here or you can follow me but I've got to go tell the Matron. Probably those boys..." Eurica walked off, babbling about someone called Seth and Anton.

The Doctor kneeled, looking at the lamp and up at the window.

"Doctor" Donna said quietly "This was the room I saw outside."

"I know"

Donna shook her head to clear it. "Let me get this straight... There's something we can't see, taking children and nobody can remember anything about it? Cause I would've thought they would realise kids were being taken. I would've."

Valerie gulped and walked into her room. The Doctor smiled down at her.

"Hello, Valerie"

* * *

**Sorry, this chappy is a bit short...**

**REVIEW! Pwease. You know you want to.**

**~Rose**


End file.
